CLEVELAND TEACHER, STUDENTS DESIGN HYDROGEN-FUELED CAR.

Byline: SIMONE SCHRAMM Community columnist

Cleveland High School urban planning teacher Don Runyan, along with five students and two former students, have designed a hydrogen-fueled car they nicknamed The Catalyst for Chrysler Corp's ``Build Your Dream Vehicle'' competition.

In designing The Catalyst, the students studied cars and trends in automotive journals and surveyed many of their classmates about features they'd want in their ideal car.

``The car is a catalyst as far as car design producing change in the consumer,'' said 18-year-old Gaile Parker, who was in charge of features and ergonomics.

In addition to Parker, the team consists of student advisers Solomon Augusteyn and Darryl Hicks; and students Adrian Bland, 16; Lillie Miranda, 17; Daniel Pollack, 15; Jonathan Pollack, 17; and Juan Rodriguez 19.

Gwen Walker, head of student counseling services at Mission College, received the Ida B. Kinney Excellence in Education Award from The National Council of Negro Women for her commitment to her students.

Walker has been with the college since 1975, starting as a career guidance counselor and then advancing to counseling department chair in 1993.

Two American Red Cross volunteers will receive awards this week during the organization's annual Spotlight Awards and Recognition Dinner.

Susan Bellenot will receive the Youth Speaker Spotlight Award. She is president of the Youth in Action Group at the Burbank Service Center.

Patricia MacNeil, a disaster duty officer, will receive the Volunteer of the Year Award for her training Topanga Canyon residents to prepare for disasters.

Classes at three local schools were winners in Time Warner Cable's annual Time 2 Seuss story writing contest, which encourages literacy, creativity and teamwork among students in grades K-6.

Rachel Jaber-Ansari's fifth-grade class at Faith Baptist School in Canoga Park was a grand-prize winner for its story ``My Scary Hairy Day.'' Students will have the opportunity to host, write and co-produce their own television news program to air on Time Warner Cable's local origination channel.

The other winners are from Balboa Magnet School in Northridge. Helen Toy's first-grade class was honored for writing ``The Gooey Fight,'' and Marlean Felix's third-grade class for its story, ``Dr. Seuss is on The Loose.''

The Girl Scouts selected Denise Fenneran of Granada Hills as its 2003 Woman of the Year. Brownie Troop 292 in Mission Hills nominated her for her long hours and personal dedication to her job.

Eight Calabasas High School music students were named to three California honor bands. Three students were named to the All Southern California High School Honor band; four were named to the California All- State Honor Band; and two were named to the All Southern California Junior High School Honor Band.

The students are:

Carolyn Davies on oboe; Gabriele Fiore, Alex Frank, Evan Hou, Daniel Reyes and Jesse Tenenbaum on clarinet, who was named to the ASCHSH and CASH bands; Andy Iser on trombone; and Aaron Meyer on percussion.